Academy Alternative
by ExusiaiApplePie
Summary: OC Story. A re-imagining of Duel Academy set in an alternate universe with original characters. Inspired by the original as well as ARC-V but will follow its own plot. Certain plot points may be lifted from the original. Mechanics up to XYZ but will use cards up to current release.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I tried being as descriptive as I could with the duels and monsters but it really doesn't work out. If I gave intense detail to everything, this chapter alone would probably be 200 pages long xD Therefore, please keep the YuGiOh wikia open on another tab while you read ah hahahahahaha I only use existing cards so everything will be on there.  
**

"Name?"

"Lucy…" The voice came as a shy whisper, barely audible to the staff assigned to handle applicant registration. The man clad in a crisp suit looked up from his paperwork, arching an eyebrow in annoyance.

"_Family_ name?" The girl named Lucy hesitated, biting her lip slightly and looking away from him, causing his patience to wear thin. He tapped his pen against the clipboard and was about to send the girl away for wasting his time when she finally worked up the nerve to answer.

"Hakuryuu…. Hakuryuu Lucy…" The man's eyes widened at the name, dropping his pen in shock as he struggled to regain his composure.

"Haku- My apologies, Miss Hakuryuu! I did not realize-" The man fumbled with his name list, desperately trying to find Lucy's name before he could possibly offend her further.

"Ah, y-yes…Miss Hakuryuu Lucy, ple-please pardon my rudeness. Your testing field is Field 4-"

"What the hell is going on here?" Both persons froze up at the sound of the rude and rough voice, although Lucy was frozen for an entirely different reason. A boy, easily a head taller than the 160cm Lucy, with dark midnight hair spiked and spiked bangs falling to his eyes, highlighted in a dark crimson, approached them. He donned the dark blue coat of Obelisk Blue, the dorm that housed the elite of elites of Duel Academy's students. His already impassive face, decorated with rough but handsome features, curled into a cruel snarl when he spotted Lucy's very conspicuous snow white hair. Lucy turned her icy blue eyes downwards, not daring to look her brother in the eye. She drew her slender shoulders in as close as she could, causing her wide-rimmed sweater to fall off slightly, as her posture turned as passive as humanly possible.

"The hell are you doing here…" His voice was a low growl but practically leaking hostility.

"I-I'm here to take the entrance exam…" Lucy replied politely but softly, as though she were some lowly servant than an actual member of the Hakuryuu family. However, this seemed only to offend the boy further.

"And who the hell let your name onto the list?"

"Papa did…I'm not trying to cause trouble, Riko- Eek!" Lucy cried out as a palm impacted on her cheek, knocking her to the ground as she raised a hand to cover the reddening skin, tears falling from her eyes as she looked to the ground, begging herself not to sob.

"Don't you dare say my name."

"Miss Hakuryuu!" The man taking registrations rose to his feet to help her up, not understanding any of what was transpiring before him, but knowing that someone who bore the name of the clan that _owned _Duel Academy had just been struck.

"The hell are you calling her that for? She's no Hakuryuu. She's just Dad's dirty little secret. Get rid of her."

"But, Hakuryuu-Sama, her name was added on the Chairman's insistence. To remove her, we would need the board to override it but that would take months."

"_Tsk. _Fine then, just stick her in Slifer, right where trash like her belongs."

"But her exam-"

"Why are we still having this conversation? Or would you rather I bring your name up to my family?" The man froze up and ceased whatever he was about to say. He gave Lucy, who was still on the ground, a reluctant glance before filling up the necessary details next to her name.

"Miss Haku- Miss Lucy, your dorm assignment has been decided. You are free to leave or you may watch the rest of the exams from the stands." The boy, Hakuryuu Riko, bent down such that his lips were right next to Lucy's right ear.

"Dad may have weasled you in, but his word can only protect you so much. I'll have you out by the end of the first month." Lucy gave no response, while Riko left her to rejoin his friends having "better things to do than deal with trash." Lucy finally got to her feet, quietly slipping her duel disk back into her backpack and pushing her knee-length pleated skirt down before silently moving to the stairs that led to the top of the stands, all the while hugging her own arms while keeping her head down.

The registration receptionist gave her a pitiful look as she left. He did not know her history but more than likely she was an illegitimate child. However, she seemed like such a nice girl, and did not deserve such treatment. He sighed and checked his watch, realizing that it was about time for registrations to close. He confirmed with the students who were helping with the conducting of the examinations that there were no further applicants and informed them to turn away any latecomers before he was interrupted by an energetic voice.

"Hold up! Please wait!" The staff turned to the source of the voice to find a young girl with bright eyes and a short jaw length bob-cut of hazel hair barrelling towards them, clad in a white Duel Academy t-shirt under a black sleeveless hoodie and short denim shorts. The girl skidded to a stop before panting and struggling to regain her breath, while simultaneously attempting to speak.

"I *pant* made it *pant* on time *pant*, right?!"

Both the man and the student looked at the girl with flabbergasted expressions before she looked up to them and gave them a wide grin.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The crowd went wild as the shimmering fragments of Yamiya Kuroki's final defending monster shattered upon the impact of the massive fireball that incinerated it. Kuroki expressionlessly opened his eyes to stare down both a titanic dragon with heads comprised of varying elements along with a more traditional looking dragon with an emerald in its temple. The man behind these creatures stood with his arms folded, strangely wearing sunglasses indoors, while giving the young duelist a superior but approving look.

**Life Points**

**Kuroki: 3000**

**Examiner: 4000**

While Kuroki's field had only 2 face down cards in the back row, he had no monsters to defend himself with while he stared down **Five-Headed Dragon (ATK: 5000, DEF: 5000) **and **Tyrant Dragon (ATK: 2900, DEF: 2500)**. The odds were most definitely not in his favor.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Up in the stands, Charlotte Roux watched with mild curiosity, finding the match to be the most interesting of the bunch she had watched today. She had breezed through all her exams and found herself bored with nothing to do after, and thus decided to see how her future classmates were doing.

"Anything interesting going on?"

Charlotte smiled as she recognized the familiar voice, not even bothering to turn from her leaning position against the railing. A boy in with smooth but short black hair joined her with his arms folded, the collar of his jacket raised to cover his lower face.

"This guy's pretty good. Held out really well at the start but once the boss monsters were out, it all went downhill. Guess he still has some to learn."

"Hmmm." The inquisitive sound was all Sherman Bowers had in response as the two watched the ending duel.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Since you controlled a monster before Tyrant Dragon's first attack, I can make another. Brace yourself. Tyrant Dragon, attack him directly!"

In response to its master's command, the large dragon reared up on its hind legs, drawing its elongated neck back as the insides of its jaws glowed orange as flames escaped from the gaps between its teeth. The dragon lunged forward and unleashed the inferno from its throat, causing Kuroki to recoil slightly as he raised an arm to brace himself as he was bathed in flame. While the monsters and attacks were only holograms, one could still feel certain effects such as the rushing wind due to the technology's force vibrations.

**Life Points**

**Kuroki: 100**

**Examiner: 4000**

Kuroki made a tsk noise as his turn began, before drawing his card. As he saw what he drew, a barely noticeable glint flashed across his eyes while he kept his expression as level as usual. Unable to summon any monsters, he simply set the card that he drew in his back row.

"I set one card face-down and end my turn."

Perhaps it was his ego, or perhaps Kuroki had deliberately let a little frustration seep into his calm voice because the Examiner picked up on it and chuckled, drawing his card.

"Don't feel too bad. This is the strongest of the exam decks and it was chosen to test you based on your high marks. That you held out this long and even held an early advantage is to be commended. Consider yourself welcome to Duel Academy." Though the words were encouraging, it failed to come off as anything but condescending. However, Kuroki remained unfazed, offering condescending words of his own.

"It's an honor. But it wouldn't sit right with me to be accepted for anything less than a win." This wiped the smirk off the Examiner's face, before he gave his last impassive words.

"What a shame. Perhaps the next time then. Five-Headed-Dragon, let's end this." On cue, the massive King Ghidorah on Steroids looking Dragon charged balls of different elemental energies in each of its mouths before firing them in a single colossal combined beam.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Charlotte sighed and pushed off against the railing, ready to leave when she felt Sherman's hand on her arm, stopping her. She turned to find what was about to be one of the most stunning comebacks she had ever seen.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Trap card open! Magical Navigation!"

A dark portal that reached into a seemingly endless abyss materialized out of nowhere as the energy beam cut into it but failed to come out from the other side (Note: This is done for visuals, in terms of mechanics, it's basically a replay because a direct attack is no longer valid). As the beam dissipated, a pair of silhouettes emerged from the portal of darkness.

"When this card is activated I can special summon Dark Magician from my hand! In addition, I can special summon a level 7 or lower spellcaster from my deck. Master and Apprentice, take the stage! I special summon **Dark Magician (ATK: 2500, DEF: 2100) **and **Dark Magician Girl (ATK: 2000, DEF: 1600)**!"

A wizard, clad in robes of pure midnight and eyes of coal emerged from the portal first, quickly followed by the far more cheerful visage of a teenage girl dressed in a similar fashion but in a palette of light blue and pink. As she took to the field, she struck a pose, raising one leg in a dance pose while raising her staff before winking at the audience with a bright smile on her cute face, causing the mad cheers to erupt as the entire male audience fell in love at first sight.

The Examiner, clearly startled by this turn of events, quickly regained his composure, clearing his throat.

"Impressive, but futile. Neither of your monsters have nearly sufficient attack points. This duel is over."

"Yeah it is. But only a fool relies on pure power to win. I activate my second face down card, Dark Burning Magic! When I control both Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl on my field, this card wipes out your entire field. That's right, not just your monsters, but also that backrow of yours that you thought would be insurance."

The Examiner's jaw dropped as he realized what was happening him.

"Impossible!" His words were futile as both magicians crossed their staffs and nodded at each other before a titanic wave of dark energy, like pitch black fire exploded from the point of connection, completely washing over both dragons on the opposing field, as well as the set cards behind them. The examiner cried out as every card in his control shattered into glimmering fragments. Having nothing but a high level monster in his hand as well as a spare polymerization, he had no choice but to end his turn.

"As you said before, let's end this duel. My magicians, attack him directly!"

Both magicians let their magic loose on the defenseless Examiner causing him to yell out in anguish as his life points disappeared in an instant.

**Life Points**

**Kuroki: 100**

**Examiner: 0**

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The crowd was stunned into silence as the monsters faded from the field and the victorious boy solemnly left the stage before the audience erupted into massive applause, singing nothing but praises.

"That was amazing!"

"I can't believe he managed to pull a comeback and win, and so spectacularly too!"

"He'll be in Obelisk for sure!"

"What was his name again?"

"Yamiyo Kuroki wasn't it?"

While all this was going on, Charlotte had a bemused expression on her beautiful face, her mild interest in the boy had now skyrocketed.

"Magicians hmmm~~"

"I take it you approve?"

Sherman had a wry smile for the 15-year old French girl who was his oldest friend while he eyed her from the corner of his eye. The girl stretched herself once more and spun in a circle whimsically, causing her sun dress to swirl with her, not giving the boy of the same age a response.

"Looks like our first school year might be interesting after all~~"

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Professor Larkheart scribbled some notes onto his clipboard, replaying the last duel in his head to make sure he did not miss anything. The former Pro-Circuit Duelist turned teacher had a habit of analyzing all his promising students, always thinking of ways of how to develop them. While Yamiyo Kuroki's duel had thoroughly impressed him, the boy's strategies were far from flawless. For example, had the Examiner set any trap denials such as** Seven Tools of The Bandit**, Kuroki's comeback play would have been shut down before it began. Clearly the Examiner had believed Tyrant Dragon's trap targeting protection to be sufficient but the Pro Dueling world was a whole different story. However, Larkheart was indeed impressed and the boy had much room to grow. He was confident that by the time of his graduation, Yamiyo Kuroki would be an ace who could potentially rival the "Kaiser".

"Professor, pardon my interruption-"

"What did I say about disturbing me when I'm taking notes." The question was rhetorical, and any answer would certainly have been met with reprimand.

"My apologies, but a last minute applicant has arrived. We are beginning preparations for her exa-"

"No need. Send them away."

"B-But Sir, she did manage to arrive before registration was closed."

The man was silenced by a sharp glare from the middle-aged professor, his salt and peppered hair falling to his neck as he pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose.

"Duel Academy is the most prestigious educational dueling establishment on the _planet_. It has no room for slackers who cannot even be bothered to arrive early for an _examination._"

Before another word could be said, Larkheart's phone began to ring and he lifted a finger to silence the staff member.

"Larkheart speaking."

"Ah, William!"

William Larkheart's face drained of color as he heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"C-Ch-Chairman Hakuryuu, to what do I o-owe the pleasure?" The usual high and mighty attitude was reduced to one of submission as he spoke to both his boss as well as a former World Champion of Dueling, so dominant that he had once been nicknamed the "King of Games".

"Oh nothing serious, just checking in to see how the examinations are going, what with two of my kids being examined today and all."

_Ah._

Larkheart had high hopes for the young Hakuryuu Riko. As expected of the child of two great duelists, and the younger brother of the "Kaiser", he had shown the most promise of all examinees today. Of course, being a Hakuryuu, he already had a free pass to Obelisk but upon being informed of this, the boy had been the opposite of pleased. Instead he took great offense to that. He demanded to take on 3 examiners at once to make up for the indignity and defeated them all on his first turn going second after all of them. The boy had major pride issues, no question, but he had the talent and skill to back it up. On the other hand…

Larkheart had heard about the illegitimate daughter of the chairman, a girl unrecognized by the rest of the Hakuryuu. He had not seen her duel and he had heard about the commotion between young Riko and her. Despite being the daughter of the Chairman, she had never been through the intense training of the Hakuryuu and so he did not expect too much from her, thus choosing not to interfere with Hakuryuu affairs. However, he obviously could not tell that to the Chairman directly.

"Ah yes yes, young Riko shows much promise. I daresay he is the cream of this year's crop."

"That's good to hear, as expected of Riko. However, his results were to be expected. I'm more concerned about how Lucy is doing."

_Oh no._

Larkheart struggled to find an answer to this before finally blurting out a response.

"Urm, I did not directly supervise her duels, many many applicants this year, you know how it is. Although I hear she has much room for improvement. She passed though! She will be a student at Duel Academy the next school term."

_Although she might not be for long if young Riko has anything to say about it._

"Ah…. That's well, I suppose. She does have such potential but with her lack confidence, I can't help but worry… Ah, enough about that. Now I hope the rest of the examinations go well, I look forward to welcoming our new students. I hope things have been going smoothly and you've been _fair _to all applicants." Though his tone remained carefree, there was undeniable emphasis on the word "fair" causing Larkheart to seize up slightly.

"We wouldn't want a repeat of last year where applicants were sent away for ridiculous reasons no would we."

"Urr- ah- yes! Of course, Sir. Wouldn't dream of it ah ha ha…"

"Good then! I look forward to the next school year then! Bye for now!" The chairman hung up on a cheerful note, leaving the teacher to stare at his phone's blank screen dejectly.

"Curses! Fine, the latecomer gets her examination. I'll duel her myself!"

"Ah, as you wish, Sir. Which deck would you like to use?"

"No need, I'll take care of that myself."

A cruel look flashed across Larkheart's face as he stood up and made for the fields, a look that the staff member did not like at all.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The girl stepped out from the bleachers, straight onto the largest field in the stadium used for examinations. Her eyes and mouth were opened wide as she realized the huge crowd watching her.

"Woah, this crowd is HUGE!" A great smile spread on her face as she waved to the crowd whom while still reeling from the last match between the examiner and Kuroki, were confused upon spotting the overly upbeat girl standing where the duel had taken place.

"Who is that?"

"An applicant? But there weren't anymore duels in the schedule."

"Is she a last minute addition?"

The questions were silenced as a motorized platform started up, causing a middle aged-man with neck length hair and dressed smartly in a suit to be lifted onto the field. The man nonchalantly straightened his tie, a bizarre looking duel disk with the deck holder placed squarely on his chest while the card zones were disjointed from the main body, held as though they were a musical instrument.

"Wait, is that-"

"That's William Larkheart! THE William Larkheart!"

"No way! HE'S the tester?"

"Just how special is this girl?"

Larkheart ignored the crowd's growing excitement at his appearance, busying himself with shuffling his deck before inserting it into his disc.

_Special? Don't make me laugh. I just wanted to show her what Duel Academy's standards are myself. _

"What is your name, Young- Uguh!" Larkheart recoiled slightly when he looked up to find the girl staring at him glowy eyed with her hands clasped together. Her expression seemed to produce actual stars as she let her obvious admiration show on her face.

"Is it- Is it really you, THE William Larkheart?! Am I dreaming?! I must be dreaming! Someone pinch me! Oww!"

The girl yelped in pain as she pinched her own cheek. However, this was quickly replaced by her returning excitement.

"I can't believe I get to duel such a famous duelist! It's such an honor! The Academy must think so highly of me!" The girl proudly put her fist and by extension her duel disc to her chest and raised her head a little too proudly.

"Urm-uh, yes, if you say so..."

_There's no way I'm letting you into my school._

"Now, then young lady, your name please?" The girl turned around with a confused look.

"Eh? Oh oh! Right! I'm Akihiro Akiko! I'm going to be the next number 1 in Duel Academy!" This was met with a mixed response from the crowd, most simply shocked at the audacity of the statement, while others, mostly Obelisk Blue students, snickered at the claim.

"Number 1 she says, guhuhuhu"

"Larkheart's going to put her in her place."

Larkheart himself did not seem amused as Akiko shuffled her deck and placed it into her duel disc.

"Is that so? Well then, I suppose you'll have to defeat me then."

"I intend to, Sensei!"

"Ugh!" Larkheart had to refrain himself from yelling at her, instead biting down his remarks and choosing to instead crush her through actions.

"Duel!"

**-Duel- **

**Life Points:**

**Akiko: 4000**

**Larkheart: 4000**

"I'll go first!" Akiko studied her hand, a confident smile played on her lips as she formulated a strategy with the cards she had.

"First, I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman **(ATK- 1600, DEF- 1400)** in attack position!"

A tall figure clad in futuristic armor took the field in a flash of lightning, its flashy entrance garnering a few wows from the crowd.

"Next, I set three cards face down and end my turn." Akiko gave Larkheart a bright smile, hoping she'd managed to impress her (hopefully) future teacher. Larkheart simply gave a smile, as though everything was proceeding as planned.

"A textbook opening I see. Not too shabby, I suppose. However…" The former star duelist trailed off as he drew his card, giving a confident smirk as the pieces of the strategy that earned him his place as one of the top duelists of the last generation fell into his hands. This duel would not last long.

"First, I activate Graceful Charity. I draw 3 cards and discard 2." Larkheart drew his cards before slotting 2 carefully chosen cards into his graveyard.

"Next, I activate Geartown, followed by Ancient Gear Fortress!" The crowd roared in applause while Akiko, looked around her, flabbergasted with excitement and amazement as a massive castle built from rusted metal rose from the ground around them. Following that, a fortress of similar build rose around Larkheart in a protective position. Next, I activate Monster Reborn, to bring back **Ancient Gear Wyvern (ATK: 1700, DEF: 1200)**."

An armless winged dragon made of metal and gears took to the field, shrieking from its maw of razor sharp rusted teeth while the single mechanical eye on its forehead glowed yellow.

"When Ancient Gear Wyvern is summoned, I get to add an "Ancient Gear" monster from my deck to my hand. The card I choose is Ancient Gear Golem." Larkheart's voice grew with excitement. How long had it been since he had heard the cheers of a crowd for him? How long had it been since he'd played before an audience?

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Riko watched from his seat up in the stands, flanked left and right by his lackeys. A cruel smirk raised at the corner of his mouth as he heard the names of the cards being used, realizing that Larkheart had no intention of allowing the annoyingly upbeat girl to pass.

"Hey, Ancient Gears? That's- That's Larkheart's own deck!"

"I feel sorry for that girl, she won't even know what hit her."

"Dang, she's pretty cute too…"

Riko ignored the meaningless chatter around him. Instead, his sadistic side relished in watching Larkheart absolutely demolish this girl who had the audacity to claim to be number 1 in his presence. While he would have much rather pounded her into the ground himself, he supposed this would have to satisfy him.

"This will be entertaining."

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Wait, isn't that Larkheart's personal deck?"

"You're right, that's the deck he used back in the Pro Circuit. But from the looks of things, it's had some upgrades since then."

Charlotte now had a lollipop in her mouth as she watched the duel intently. From the look on the girl's face, there was no doubt she had realized she was dueling against Larkheart's personal deck, but instead of showing fear, she seemed to be exploding in excitement, as though it was the best day of her life.

"I can't believe I have the honor of dueling such a legendary deck! If this is a dream, please don't wake me up! Thank you so much, Sensei!" Not for the first time today, Charlotte caught Larkheart being caught off guard by the girl's incessant and absurdly unending optimism. Charlotte smiled and twirled the lollipop around in her mouth, eyeing the girl once more.

Though it was highly unlikely, she was rooting for the girl, and hoped she made it into the Academy to make the school all the more interesting.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Lucy sobbed into her arms, her face buried into her knees. The moment she left the registration area, she simply ran and ran up the stairs, she didn't care how high she was going, she simply kept running until there were no more stairs to climb. Then, she simply collapsed into the stairwell and allowed the emotions she had been suppressing to release themselves.

Her sobs were interrupted when she heard the exceptionally excited roars of the crowd. As much as she would have prefered to wallow in her self-pity, her curiosity got the better of her as she struggled to get up, her legs numb from the static position they had been in. She almost fell face first into the ground before catching herself on the railing. She half-heartedly rubbed the tears away from her eyes, knowing she must look like a disaster and not really finding the strength to care as she made her way into the highest level of the stands.

There, she found herself alone, watching down into the field where two people were having a duel. They must have been having one heck of a duel because the crowd was going absolutely nuts. Lucy sniffed before squinting to try and make out what was happening through her dried up tears before recognizing one of the duelists. She gasped slightly as memories flowed through her mind. Though she clearly looked older than the last time they'd seen each other, there was no way Lucy would ever forget that bright innocent grin.

"Aki?!"

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Larkheart was growing impatient with this girl, Akiko's unfaltering optimism. The girl simply did not know how to read a situation.

"Now I tribute my Ancient Gear Wyvern to summon **Ancient Gear Golem! (ATK: 3000, DEF: 3000)**"

"But that's a level 8 monster!" Akiko stared in shock, much to Larkheart's delight as a massive giant built from scrap metal and gears arose from the ground.

"Naive! When Geartown is in effect, all Ancient Gear monsters require 1 less tribute to normal summon. And now that it has served its purpose, I sacrifice it to activate Ancient Gear Catapult! By sacrificing one face up card I control, I can special summon any Ancient Gear monster from my deck, regardless of summoning conditions, and I choose **Ancient Gear Golem - Ultimate Pound (ATK: 3000, DEF: 3000)**!"

The metal castle around them crumbled into pieces into pieces around them before the fallen parts reassembled into a form identical to the first monster, albeit slightly less rusted.

"Moreover, when Geartown is sent to the grave, I get to special summon an Ancient Gear monster from my hand, graveyard or deck, and I select Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon from my deck!"

A giant winged serpentine machine creature materialized out of nowhere, spreading its wings causing the effect vibrations to buffet everyone in the stadium before it roared in all its mechanical rage. Three powerhouse monsters summoned in an instant and all 3 of them towered over Akihiko who was shocked into awe.

"And now for the _bad _news. While Ancient Gear Fortress is on the field, all my Ancient Gear monsters cannot be targeted by card effects, moreover, they cannot be destroyed by card effects either! Ancient Gear Golem, smash Sparkman into pieces!"

The first golem reared is great metal fist back before it shot out with all the power, precision and speed only capable by a machine. The impact sent Sparkman completely flying with a grunt before he shattered into shimmering pieces. Akihiko reared back from the impact as her life points fell.

**Life Points:**

**Akiko: 2600**

**Larkheart: 4000**

"I activate my trap card!"

"Did you not hear me? My monsters can neither be targeted nor destroyed by card effects."

"I heard you, Sensei! That's why the card I activated was Hero Signal! When a monster I control is destroyed, I can special summon an Elemental Hero from my hand or deck! And I choose **Elemental Hero Clayman (ATK: 800, DEF: 2000) **in defense mode!"

A large humanoid figure made entirely of clay arose in front of Akiko, it's arms crossed in a defensive position to shield its master.

"I also activate my second Hero Signal to special summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman in defense mode!"

A hero clad in what seemed to be some form of diving suit with a cape appeared next to his clay companion.

"Finally I activate my final face down, the quick play magic card, Flash Fusion! I fuse Elemental Heroes Clayman and Bubbleman to fusion summon **Elemental Hero Mudball Man (ATK: 1900, DEF: 3000)** in defense mode!"

Both Heroes dissolved into a bright light before fusing together to form an entirely new shape. The new form crashed down onto the ground, producing the holographic illusion of shattering the earth as it hit the surface. Mudball Man resembled Clayman but was far larger and was much more bulbous in shape. Larkheart watched in shock as a 3000 defense wall appeared before him, preventing any further attacks from proceeding. He had predicted that she might use Hero Signal, but he had thought she would combo it with Hero Barrier to negate his attacks. Hence why he had summoned Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon, as no spell or trap cards could be activated in response to its attacks until after the damage step, by which time, any wall monster would have been destroyed and Hero Barrier would be useless. The Signal/Barrier combo had been an effective strategy to buy time for a stronger tribute summon that he had spent time to develop a counter for.

And yet, never in his dreams did he expect this unknown girl to not only play Heroes in such an unorthodox manner, yet achieving the same result perhaps even better, but also to utilize fusion so fluidly.

"He he, I guess your attacks won't work now, Sensei!" Her tone lacked any signs of taunting or malice, just sincere joy that she had surprised someone she had already shown admiration for. Larkheart took a moment to compose himself before he gave her a small smile.

"So it would seem. I will admit, your creative use of fusion is impressive. It's your move now."

Her move had been flashy and creative but ultimately, all it did was buy her time. The end would ultimately be the same.

"I draw!" Akiko dramatically pulled the top card of her deck, smiling as she saw what it was.

"I activate Cards of Sanctity! We both draw until we have 6 cards." Both players drew their cards and Akiko felt confidence fuel her as her hand was replenished.

"Next, I activate Pot of Greed to draw 2 more cards"

"Then I activate Instant Fusion! By paying 1000 life points, I can fusion summon a fusion monster from my extra deck without its materials but it can't attack and it'll be destroyed at the end of my turn. However, that doesn't matter, because I choose **Elemental Hero Great Tornado (ATK: 2800, DEF: 2200**!"

**Life Points: **

**Akiko: 1600**

**Larkheart: 4000**

A twister of howling wind appeared on the field before dissipating, giving way to a strangely shaped hero, partially shrouded in a black cloak.

"When Great Tornado is summoned, all of my opponent's monsters' attack and defense are halved!

Larkheart watched in surprise as all his monsters fell to 1500 ATK/DEF each.

"Then I activate Mask Change!"

_Mask Change?_

Larkheart blinked in shock, unable to believe that there was a card he had not heard of before.

_A new Hero card? _

"I tribute Elemental Hero Great Tornado to special summon **Masked Hero Divine Wind (ATK: 2700, DEF: 1700)**!"

A tornado enveloped Great Tornado once more, before subsiding to reveal a new hero, one with a bright yellow body and a flowing white cape, most notably with an elaborate mask over its head.

"Now I set a card face down and activate Emergency Provisions. By sending a spell or trap card on my field to the graveyard, I regain 1000 life points. I send the card I just set to the graveyard!"

**Life Points:**

**Akiko: 2600**

**Larkheart: 4000**

"Now I attack Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon with Divine Wind! Blow that dragon away!"

Divine Wind spread his arms as though garnering power, before spinning at great speed, causing a massive tornado to form before it crashed into the weakened Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon, smashing it to bits.

Larkheart groaned as he felt the impact of taking damage.

**Life Points:**

**Akiko: 2600**

**Larkheart: 2800**

"I set a card face down. Turn end!"

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Lucy watched in awe as her childhood friend pulled a magical comeback out of her metaphoric hat. She remembered when the two would duel together as kids, obviously with much simpler cards and decks. She'd lost contact with Akiko when her mum and her had to move to a different prefecture to escape the wrath of the Hakuryuu. However, even after her return after mum's death, she could never find it in her to look for her old and only true friend. By pure instinct, words of support escaped her soft lips as a mere whisper.

"You can do it, Aki… I believe in you."

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Larkheart raised his arm, outraged at actually taking damage from a mere nobody, his pride preventing him from admitting the sheer admiration he had for the young girl's ingenuity.

"Why you….." Larkheart's words were a low growl as he drew. His grimace extended into a cruel grin as he saw the card that would win him the duel at the tip of his fingers.

"Akiko, was it?"

"Yes, Sir~~!" Akiko's voice was whimsical and cheerful, clearly happy that her name had been acknowledged by such a renowned individual.

"I must commend you my dear. To be able to withstand the strategy that had claimed victories against so many pros and even manage to push me back. Even after I took great effort to keep it up to date with the modern metagame. You have my respect."

Throwing another curveball, this time Akiko's eyes widened as her cheeks turned bright red, before she shyly touched the tips of her fingers together.

"Well…. Urm….. Eh hehehe, I don't know what to say! Thanks, Sensei!"

Larkheart smirked, unsure if he was glad he was starting to get used to her oddness.

"However, the condition of your entry was to defeat me, and unfortunately, you have forced my hand so this is the end of our duel. I activate the magic card, Overload Fusion!"

Once he slotted the card into the magic zone of his duel disc, it appeared on the field before a massive electrical dust storm enveloped all his monsters and his side of the field.

"By banishing monsters from my field and graveyard, I can fusion summon one dark-attribute monster from my extra deck, and the one I choose to be your harbinger of defeat is **Chaos Ancient Gear Giant (ATK: 4500, DEF: 3000)**!"

The huge electrical storm caused great vibrations from the projectors, causing Akiko and even members of the audience to shield themselves from the virtual wind. When it finally subsided, all of Larkheart's previous monsters were gone, and in their place a massive machine titan, comprised of cobalt metal and gears towered over all, almost reaching the high ceiling of the stadium. Akiko could only watch in shock and awe as its glowing eyes locked onto her.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Lucy fell backwards in shock as the titan materialized before she scrambled back to her feet.

"What on earth is _that?"_

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"It's over, Chaos Ancient Gear Giant is unaffected by spells or traps, even without Ancient Gear Fortress's protection. Moreover, it can attack all of your monsters once. And that's not all, when it attacks a monster in defense mode, it deals the difference in piercing damage! Now Ancient Gear Fortress, attack Mudball Man!"

"I activate the trap card, Gift of the Mystical Elf, for each monster currently on the field, I gain 500 life points.

**Life Points**

**Akiko: 4100**

**Larkheart: 2800**

"Tsk, how tenacious. No matter, I'm still going to wipe your board."

Ancient Gear Giant towered over the tiny by comparison Mudball Man, before bringing both of its massive fists, each bigger than the opposing monster on their own, crushing it into dust, the shockwave buffeting Akiko as she struggled to stay on her feet.

**Life Points**

**Akiko: 2600**

**Larkheart: 2800**

"Now, time to eliminate that annoying Masked Hero of yours. Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, eliminate her final monster!"

Once again, the titan brought its fist down, causing Akiko to cry out as she took damage.

**Life Points**

**Akiko: 800**

**Larkheart: 2800**

Larkheart smirked in satisfaction, however, this was short-lived as his jaw dropped to the ground at the sight of Divine Wind still standing on the field, his arms crossed firmly across his chest.

"But, but how?!"

Akiko grunted through the exertion before giving Larkheart a mischievous grin.

"It's simple, Divine Wind cannot be destroyed by battle."

Larkheart recoiled at the revelation and the entire audience gasped in shock.

"Oi oi, this girl is pretty good isn't she?"

"Isn't this Professor Larkheart going all out? To think that she's still withstanding him!"

Akiko grinned cheekily as it came to her turn, drawing her card.

"I activate Legacy of a Hero! By sending 2 fusion monsters that have a Hero monster listed in their materials back to my extra deck, I get to draw 3 cards!"

Akiko sent Elemental Heroes Mudball Man and Great Tornado back to her extra deck before drawing 3 cards to a total 5 cards in her hand. She studied her hand before cheering out loud.

"Yes! Just what I needed! I activate The Warrior Returning Alive to return Elemental Hero Bubbleman to my hand! Next, I activate Hero's Bond! If a Hero monster is face up on the field, I can special summon 2 level 4 or lower Elemental Heroes from my hand, and I choose Elemental Heroes Bubbleman and Shadow Mist!"

A swirl of bubbles and a swirl of darkness appeared on the field before revealing the return of the diving-themed Hero, along with the newcomer, a blue-skinned lady with dark blue hair and red eyes, adorned with dark armor.

"When Shadow Mist is special summoned, I can add 1 Mask Change from my deck to my hand, which I now activate by tributing Bubbleman! I special summon **Masked Hero Acid (ATK: 2600, DEF: 2100)**"

On cue, Bubbleman disappeared into a swirling portal before being replaced by a figure resembling Sparkman but with much darker motifs.

"When Masked Hero Acid is special summoned, I destroy all spell and trap cards that you control. Ancient Gear Fortress melts away!"

Acid raised the gun in his hand, aiming at the fortress protecting Larkheart's monsters before shooting it like a water gun. However, instead of water, highly corrosive acid shot out instead, completely melting Ancient Gear Fortress to the ground, much to Larkheart's horror.

"Finally, I'm going to take a leaf from your book and activate Miracle Fusion! By banishing material monsters from my field or graveyard, I can fusion summon one Elemental Hero fusion monster from my extra deck! I banish Heroes Clayman and Sparkman to summon **Elemental Hero Gaia (ATK: 2200, DEF: 2600)**!"

In a brilliant flash of light, a giant armoured humanoid, almost as large as Chaos Ancient Gear Giant appeared on the field, the vibrations of its summon even shaking the ground.

At first, Larkheart began panicking, but regained his composure upon seeing that none of her monsters attack values even came close to his. He gave Akiko a confident chuckle.

"A fine move, but futile nonetheless. None of your monsters have nearly enough attack points to best my Giant."

"You sure about that Sensei?" Akiko's voice was cheeky.

"What?"

"When Gaia is fusioned summoned, I can target one of your monsters and halve its attack points and Gaia gains the same amount of attack points until the end of the turn."

Larkheart's eyes widened as he realized what this meant, right as his Giant shrunk in half its size, before Gaia grew by the same amount.

"Oh my god!"

"With my Gaia's attack raised to 4450 and your Giant's attack points reduced to 2250, I'll have Gaia destroy Chaos Ancient Gear Giant!"

The goliath Hero raised its fist not in a manner dissimilar from Chaos Ancient Gear Giant's, but as it brought it down, fire exploded from ports in its gauntlets, accelerating its strike before it shattered Chaos Ancient Gear Giant into pieces, Larkheart desperately shielding himself from the damage.

**Life Points**

**Akiko: 800**

**Larkheart: 600**

"Now the rest of my Heroes will attack you directly! All of you, form up! Hero's Strike!"

All 3 Heroes with their attacks remaining assembled in a delta formation with Shadow Mist being flanked by the two Masked Heroes, before all 3 attacked Larkheart simultaneously, sending the middle-aged teacher flying with an indignant cry of disbelief.

**Life Points**

**Akiko: 800**

**Larkheart: 0**

**Duel Over**

The crowd was stunned into silence, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

"Did she just…"

"Did she just beat William Larkheart?"

Akikio breathed a sigh of relief as her monsters faded before giving the crowd a wink and a bright smile, accompanied by a peace sign.

"Gee Gee! (She says this how from Overwatch says GG) A Hero of Justice always prevails!"

The crowd roared in applause and cheers of the surprise newcomer, even Riko's friends all seemed impressed. However, the boy himself was more annoyed than anything, that a teacher at his family's prestigious academy would lose to some nobody. He would have a word with the board members for sure.

Meanwhile, up in the stands, Lucy heaved a heavy sigh of relief, before the first genuine smile she had had in years, even if it was only a small one born of relief, played across her lips.

"I'm so glad."

Further down from her, Charlotte had taken to clapping for the underdog girl's performance, a broad grin on her face. Sherman raised an eyebrow and smiled inquisitively at her.

"Someone's in a good mood."

"Of course. Akihiro Akiko wasn't it? This school year is _definitely _going to be wild."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Hi hi! I recently got back into Yugioh after not having really touched it since I was a little girl, and have been really obsessed with it. I really loved the GX series because I love school settings a lot, but at the same time, after having been exposed to all the new mechanics, the GX mechanics just seem a little stale to me on their own. However, I'm still going to simplify dueling somewhat so that it doesn't look like the 2 turn games that is the current Yu-Gi-Oh meta to keep things interesting. Also the early story won't have that much more complex of duels compared to original GX, because I don't really have that in-depth of an understanding of the game yet. I also intend to keep the back and forth pacing to make duels engaging and interesting! :) So this is something of an Alternate Universe setting to GX, I might still use the main plot points, of GX, IE Sacred Beasts, Society of Light etc, but the cast will be different and I'll be using mechanics up till ARC-V, mainly because I'm still really funky with Link and don't have a very good understanding of it yet! Also, updates may take a while because choreographing duels is gonna take a lot of research and playtesting so do be prepared . While the cast is mostly different, you may notice some similarities to the original cast, and I'll also be using japanese names over english names, for example the Shadow Riders will instead be known as Seven Stars, as I grew up with the original anime series and not the 4Kids one :) However, card names will still be in English to avoid confusion. Think of this story as a spiritual modern reimagining of the GX series ^.^ Also, Card of Sanctity will have anime effects, otherwise it makes it even harder for me to write some comeback plays without pulling super Atem level bullshit xD Please go easy on me . It's my first attempt at anything card game related and I only recently got back into the series. I might make some changes to my writing style in future to try and optimize the reading experience! Also, please review as I like reading people's thoughts on my work and it's a huge motivator to keep writing! Now before I end off, I'm will include short character profiles at the end of each chapter to give a brief view on them, nothing too spoilery just stuff like their hobbies, age and such.**

**Edit: This is a rerelease and I have since decided to start off similarly to the original series but will follow an original plot that will still be inspired by and have elements from the original GX! I took down the original story because I did not have time to commit to it at the time, but hopefully I do now! I originally had feedback that the story was too similar to the original but I assure you that's only for the early chapters, to establish the characters and plot elements! Think of it as starting around the same point as the original but going in a different direction. Also, there might be some mistakes here and there when it comes to duels because choreographing duels is actual hell and I don't know how the series writers do it for like 200 episodes a series. Finally, you might note that I mix some japanese/anime lingo with english to get a more accurate feel for the kind of tone the characters have. There's just some things in japanese that don't translate well to english. Also, I'm trilingual and so are many of my friends, so I have a habit of mixing languages when I communicate irl as well. Thank you!**

**Character Profile: Akihiro Akiko**

**Age: 15**

**Birthday: February 8th **

**Gender: Female**

**Deck: Heroes**

**Personality: Akiko is a very cheerful and upbeat girl who seems to have an unending pool of optimism. She always sees the bright side of things and never quits till it's over. It takes a lot to get her down and even then, she is quick to bounce back, making her overall a very positive person. She tends to live in the moment and does not really think things through which can get her in trouble but arguably also allows her to live life with freedom. Her positivity has also been known to be contagious, allowing her to positively influence others as well. She is also very active and in addition to dueling, enjoys sports and has a very active lifestyle, allowing her to stay fit.**

**Hobbies: Dueling, Reading Manga, Playing Video Games, Volleyball**

**Favorite Food: Udon**


	2. Chapter 1

"Gyaaaaa….. So tired…."

Akiko sighed in exhaustion as she finally managed to pull her luggage up the stairs to the second floor catwalk of the small dormitory. Collapsing against the railing, she wiped her forehead, allowing the cool late August air to chill her skin.

"Maybe trying to beat the crowd wasn't such a good idea….." Akiko mumbled to herself, wondering if she should have just went to the welcoming committee instead of trying to bring her belongings directly to the dorms so that she would not have to lug them around all day. At least, even if there was congestion later, she could have gotten some help lugging her suitcase, containing all her essentials from clothes and toiletries to her entire computer setup, screens, her obscene amounts of stuffed toys and of course, her brand-new academy duel disk and her cards. It was a small wonder that her luggage had not burst open yet.

After resting a little, she finally regained enough energy to pull herself to her feet before proceeding down the catwalk with her luggage in tow, checking what her room number was on her school-issued PDA, that doubled as her school ID.

"208…. Hmmm, 204, 205, 206….. There we go! 208!" She came to a stop at a room about three quarters down the hallway, rejoicing as her arduous journey was about to end. She reached into the pocket of her skirt before freezing up as she realized it was empty.

"Wait, where are my keys?" She frantically searched every pocket of the white skirt she wore and the scarlet sleeveless jacket that were her school uniform. However, every one of them turned up empty.

"Oh no, you've got to be kidding me! I forgot my keys?! Wait, did I even get my keys?!" Akiko flew into a full blown panic as she realized that she'd made her way all the across half the island to get to her dorm on the edge of a cliff just to be locked out of her own room. She stared deadpan at the door, feeling her soul leave her body through her mouth.

"Uwa….."

"Hngh, Gah! Geez, what are with these stairs?" Akiko turned her deadpan stare to the source of the voiced before her eyes widened and her soul was shocked back into her body at the sight of long impossibly white hair, the color of the heart of winter, glistening in the sunlight. She found the body that it was attached to catching her breath in the same position she had been in earlier. Akiko's heart skipped a beat, even though she was staring at another girl, as her beauty seemed to be unearthly in nature. However, even more so, there was no way she could ever forget that face or her hair.

"Lulu?"

Lucy froze up upon hearing her childhood nickname, clearly caught off guard as she turned to look at the one who had called out to her, her mouth gaping in disbelief as she recognized the face.

"A-Aki?!"

"You're Lulu right? I'm not hallucinating from exhaustion and despair am I? You're really Lucy right?!" As Akiko spoke her words, she quickly advanced on the other, shorter girl before she could react.

"Wha- wait!" But it was too late as Akiko jumped into her chest, causing her to painfully fall backwards onto her butt with a short scream.

"Owwwieeee….." Lucy then lit up like a tomato as she realized that Akiko was drooling sillily as she rubbed her cheek into Lucy's chest.

"Aki! What are you doing?!"

"Ahhhhh…"

"Stop that!"

"What's the problem, we're both girls~~ hehehe~~ "

"That's not the point! Kyaaa!"

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Eh hehehe, sorry, I just got really excited when I saw you again." Akiko rubbed the large bruise on her head sheepishly, courtesy of Lucy's fist.

Said girl was crossly tidying her similarly red uniform with her cheeks matching it in color.

"Geez... You're just the same as I remember…"

"Eh hehehe..."

Lucy looked at her oldest and only friend, astounded at how she had not changed a bit since they last saw each other. Her on the other hand….

It was then that it finally occurred to her why she had been so surprised to see Akiko way out there in the first place.

"Aki, why are you wearing red?"

Akiko seemed surprised, as though she'd just been asked why the sky was blue.

"Isn't this the school uniform?"

Lucy's jaw dropped as she finally realized that Akiko did not have a clue how the color coding worked, even more amazed that Akiko had not noticed that students were wearing different colors.

"Harh?! You're joking right?!" Akiko simply gave her a confused tilt of the head. Lucy sighed as she resigned herself to explaining everything that had already been explained in the pre-enrollment briefing to her air-headed friend.

"The colors are a code for what dorm you're from. Blue is for Obelisk, the elite of the elite, Yellow is for Ra, the middle class who are either decent or talented but lacked connections to go directly to Obelisk. And then there are the Reds…" Akiko's eyes lit up as a realization dawned on her.

"Ahhh! That's why there were different colored uniforms! I thought it had to do with your year ah hahahahaha, so Reds are us right?"

"Well, I'm a Slifer Red, yes, and we're pretty much the bottom of the barrel. But there's absolutely no reason why you should be in Slifer! Slifer doesn't even have accommodations for girls! Girls should usually be in Ra at least! Plus, you even defeated Professor Larkheart in a publicly shown duel, so why on earth are you here?!" Akiko did not seem to understand the question.

"Ha….. So what's the problem?" Lucy simply facepalmed, realizing it was her own fault for expecting something like common sense from the happy-go-lucky girl.

"What's your room number? I'll sort it out with the Dorm Manager. There's no way they could let a girl like you bunk with a bunch of boys."

"Ehhhhh, then what about you? You're a girl too."

Lucy stopped short, a lump forming in her throat before she forcibly swallowed it back down. Akiko gave a small tilt of her head as she noticed the slight change in demeanor from her old friend.

"I'm a- urm… Special case….." Akiko thought to ask more but decided against it, as Lucy clearly was not willing to divulge more information.

"Well I'm in room 208."

"208… Wait, that's my room!"

"Really?! Doesn't that mean we're roommates?!"

Lucy watched Akiko light up like a christmas tree and was embarrassed to admit that the thought of rooming with the friend she'd missed so much was a very tempting prospect. However, she'd read that Slifer only had a public bath for their students and each room housed up to 3 students. So she still would make sure to speak with the manager to have Akiko's dorm changed, not wanting her only friend to suffer the same circumstance as her if she did not need to. She did not know why Akiko was placed in Slifer in the first place, a clerical error perhaps. However, unlike Lucy, there was no reason for her to be placed in Slifer. However, for now, she decided to play along with Akiko's enthusiasm.

"*Sigh* What am I going to do with you…. Alright, let's go. Which reminds me, why haven't you gone into the room yet?"

"Ah." Akiko froze up, drawing a raised eyebrow from Lucy.

"I errr… Don't have my key…"

"What? But you're holding your PDA."

"Eh?" Akiko blinked, much to Lucy's exasperation.

"I should have known…. Come on…"

Lucy brought her luggage along to the door that Akiko's was set next to, before hovering her PDA over the door handle. Both girls heard a click after a second before Lucy pressed on the handle and opened the door, much to Akiko's amazement.

"Eh?! Is that magic?! Lucy-Chan, did you disappear all these years to become a wizard?!" Lucy simply gave an unamused face.

"What are you talking about? All the Dorm locks are electronic, they'll only unlock to your PDA ID."

"Eh?! So there's no key?! So I didn't get a key after all?!"

"Do you see a keyhole…" Akiko stared at the door handle, finally realizing that there was no slot for keys.

"All the locks have backup batteries on them, so they won't fail even if there's a power outage." Lucy ignored Akiko's "I just saw something amazing" face as she pulled her luggage into the room.

Lucy was pleasantly surprised when she found that the room was bigger than the pictures of Slifer dorms that she'd seen, even having a door on the side that led to a private, albeit somewhat basic, bathroom.

"Ehhhh… This doesn't look as bad as I thought."

The beds were still bunk beds but instead of the usual triple deck, theirs was only a double deck and the pillows, mattresses and blankets looked far more comfortable than what she'd expected. Lucy gave a small smile as she set her luggage aside, making room for an ecstatic Akiko who was busy exploring every inch of the room with childish excitement, before plopping herself down on the bottom bed.

"Gaaahhhh, so comfortable~~~~"

Lucy found a handwritten note on the moderately sized desk, picking it up before reading it out loud.

"Dear Hakuryuu-San and Akihiro-San,

Congratulations on being accepted into Duel Academy as well as being the first two female residents of Slifer Red. I will admit that this unorthodox arrangement shocked me at first, as we did not have the facilities to appropriately house female students. I had brought it up to the board, requesting that you be transferred to Ra Yellow instead, but alas, my request was turned down. However, an executive order from the Chairman himself allocated a budget to renovate the dorms to combine two rooms into one and implementing a private bathroom to better accommodate you both. I do hope the arrangements are to your satisfaction. Our welcome dinner will be at 7pm tonight, and you are both allowed to explore the school at your leisure until then but do steer clear of Off-Limits areas as well as the Obelisk dorms as they are quite particular of their privacy.

Warm Regards, Tachikawa Jun, Slifer Red Dormitory Manager."

"Ehhh, so they made this room just so we could live here? That's so cool!"

"Guess so."

"I can't wait to meet everyone! This is going to be so much fun!"

Lucy smiled slightly at her friend's excitement.

"I wish I had half your positivity, Aki….."

"Whatchu say?"

"Ah-er- nothing… Hey, dinner's only gonna be at 7, you wanna go explore?"

Akiko sat up with a sly smirk on her face.

"Ehhhh, you're not gonna start crying your eyes out if we get lost again are you?"

Akiko's tone was cheeky as Lucy completely flushed.

"Gah- That's- That was 5 years ago, Baka! And it was your fault we got lost in the first place!"

"Eeeehh, was it? I seem to remember it was because you were chasing down that guy in the big bear costume..."

Impossibly, Lucy seemed to turn even redder.

"Sh-shush! You're remembering it wrong, Baka Aki!"

Lucy spun around with her arms folded, making an adorable "Hmph" sound. Akiko smiled smugly as she had a feeling that was not the case. She then got up before catching Lucy off guard with a large hug from behind.

"Eh, Aki?!"

"Waaaaahh, I missed your soft hair so much~~~ You moved so suddenly we didn't even get to say goodbye."

Lucy blushed slightly as she felt Akiko's cheek nuzzle into her hair, simultaneously feeling the pang of guilt as she remembered how she had been quickly whisked away by her father after her mother's death, leaving no time for her to say goodbye to her best friend. Lucy was struck by just how lonely she'd been the past few years. Her sentiment was abruptly cut short as she felt slender fingers close on the _very _modest volume of her chest.

"Though it'd be nice if there was something soft to squeeze here too~~~ Are you sure you've been eating properly~~~"

Lucy felt a volcano erupting in her cheeks.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAA!"

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**About 20 minutes later**

The pair of Slifer Red girls walked down the path leading to the main school building, the one on the right with her arms folded and scarlet cheeks puffed up in anger while the other gently nursed the large bruise on her head.

"Ow, ow, ow... Are you still mad at me, Lulu-Chan?"

"What do you think?!"

"Geez, you're still as violent as ever…" Lucy's cheeks impossibly lit up even brighter than they already were.

"Shut up, Baka Aki!"

It was then that the two noticed a boy in a Ra yellow jacket excitedly gesturing to another pair, a girl in a Ra yellow uniform and a boy in Slifer red, before running off towards the main school building.

"Come on! We're gonna miss the duel!"

The excited voices of multiple groups of students could be heard and the two girls shared a look.

"Shall we…"

"Oh yeah!"

The two grinned like little children before running off to join the crowd.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"**Cyber-Twin Dragon(ATK:2800 DEF:2100)**, make your second attack and destroy Stardust Charge Warrior!"

Two beams of light cut through the air, completely bisecting the mechanical warrior before it exploded into fragments, the shockwave assaulting its master, blowing at her white sleeveless top rimmed in blue and sapphire skirt of the same shade, her long auburn hair flying in the simulated wind.

**Charlotte- 2400**

**Sherman- 3200**

Charlotte barely noticed the large cheering crowd that had gathered in the stands to watch their duel, her attention far more preoccupied by the twin-headed mechanical serpent lined with glowing lights, a dangerous glow in both its jaws. A single bead of sweat fell from her forehead as she smiled nervously. On the other side of the field was the dark-haired boy, clad in a full coat, the same color as her skirt, with his arms crossed impassively.

"Not bad, Sherman."

"I'll take that compliment, thank you. I set two cards and end my turn."

Discussion among the crowd reached a fever pitch as the duel took a turn. The many spectators had been shocked when Charlotte pulled out the newly invented summoning method of synchro on her 2nd turn, destroying Sherman's first monster. However, Sherman had remained unphased, completely countering the next turn with good old fashion fusion.

"Even with Synchro, this was never going to be easy, heh. As expected of my rival."

"Please, you and I both know this is far from what you're truly capable of."

Charlotte gave a smirk as her turn began and she drew her card.

"Guess I can't afford not to be serious. Since I control no monsters, I special summon **Wind Witch Ice Bell (ATK:1000 DEF:1000)** in defense mode!"

The field glowed before a cute witch with dark blue hair riding on a rose shaped staff materialized and winked at the audience.

"With Ice Bell's effect, I special summon **Wind Witch Glass Bell (ATK:1500 DEF:1500) **from my deck!"

Another witch with shorter, cyan hair and riding a bell shaped staff materialized next to the first witch.

"Moreover, with Ice Bell's effect, you take 500 damage to your life points!"

**Charlotte- 2400**

**Sherman- 2700**

"Now, with Glass Bell's effect, I add Wind Witch Snow Bell from my deck to my hand. And finally, because I control 2 wind monsters and nothing else, I special summon **Wind Witch Snow Bell ( ATK-100 DEF-100)**!"

An ornate white ball with wings and a crown atop a jewel sitting on top of it appeared on the field. The audience was left puzzled as while the move had been flashy, none of the monsters summoned could stand up to the might of 2800 ATK. However, Sherman knew better and smiled slightly.

"Here it comes."

"I tune Glass Bell and Ice Bell together to Synchro Summon** Wind Witch Winter Bell (ATK:2400, DEF:2000)**."

A gust of snow enveloped both Glass Bell and Ice Bell, building up into a full on tempest as green glowing rings surrounded it like a pillar before exploding into white powder ,revealing something of a cross between a ball and a jet plane took the stage, gaining cheers from the crowd.

"I activate Winter Bell's effect and target Glass Bell in my graveyard, allowing me to do damage to your lifepoints equal to her level multiplied by 200! That's 800 straight to your lifepoints!"

**Charlotte- 2400**

**Sherman- 1900**

The crowd exploded as Charlotte suddenly took the lead from quite a substantial disadvantage, all within a single turn. Yet, the threat of Cyber Twin Dragon had yet to be dealt with and it remained a force to be reckoned with. However, one would be a fool to believe Charlotte was finished.

"And now, the grand finale, I tune Snow Bell with Winter Bell, to synchro summon **Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon(ATK:3000, DEF:2500)**!"

A large armored dragon, with clear crystals for legs and wings stormed the field, causing hurricane gale winds to manifest from the Hologram's effect replicator. Now it was Sherman's turn to sweat as a massive threat appeared before him and his smile turned nervous.

"When Crystal Wing battles a level 5 or higher monster, it adds that monster's ATK to its own!"

"But that means-"

" That's right, let's end this!"

But Sherman was not about to give up. Before Charlotte could declare her attack, he made his move.

""I activate my magic card, De-Fusion! I split Cyber Twin Dragon back into 2 Cyber Dragons in defense mode!

Cyber Twin Dragon split into two seperate serpentine machines, both with 2100 ATK and 1600 DEF.

"Next, the trap card, Attack Reflector Unit! By tributing one of my Cyber Dragons, I special summon **Cyber Barrier Dragon (ATK-800, DEF:2800)** in Attack mode!"

One of the Cyber Dragons evolved into a similarly shaped machine, but with a thick metal ring around its neck.

"Attack mode?" The crowd were purplexed by the seemingly suicidal move. However, any duelist worth their salt knew that effects were the name of the game.

"While Cyber Barrier is in Attack mode, I can negate one of your attacks, once per turn!"

However, Charlotte simply smirked.

"That's too bad, Crystal Wing's other effect activates. Once per turn, when an opponent's monster activates its effect, I can negate its effect, as well as destroy that monster. Moreover, Crystal Wing gains ATK equal to that of your dragon for the rest of the turn. So long, Cyber Barrier Dragon~~~"

Sherman's expression turned to one of shock, as Crystal Wings' wings began to glow in a white light, before deadly beams assaulted his monster and destroyed it, causing the shockwave to hit him while he braced himself.

**Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon (ATK: 3800 DEF:2500)**

"Now Crystal Wing, destroy Cyber Dragon!"

Crystal Wing reared back as a glowed charged within its maw before it released a brilliant beam, completely engulfing Cyber Dragon and vaporizing it, leaving Sherman's field wide open.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"I can't believe he survived that turn, I thought it was over for sure!"

"Yeah, but now his field is empty and he only has 2 cards left in his hand."

Lucy and Akiko's eyes shot back and forth between the two extremely skilled duelists. Only three turns had passed and yet the battle already seemed of epic proportions. This was the first time either of them had seen Synchro summoning in action, owing to the fact that the new summoning methods were still fresh and only a few had managed to successfully adopt them so far.

Akiko's eyes were glowing as she cheered for both the duelists while Lucy behaved more reserved, carefully studying each of their moves. There was no question that they both deserved their spots in Obelisk. In fact, she'd wager they were among the tops in the entire school, regardless of year. She carefully watched the Cyber Dragon user, eagerly anticipating his next action.

"Now then, what will you do in this situation."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Draw!"

Sherman eyed the card he drew and immediately drew up a combo in his head to turn the situation around.

"I discard Cyber Dragon Core, to special summon **Cyber Dragon Nachster (ATK: 200 DEF:200)**"

A winged metallic serpent that looked more alien than machine appeared.

"Next, with Nachster's effect, its name becomes Cyber Dragon while on the field! However, that's not all. When Nachster is normal or special summoned, I can special summon a machine monster with 2100 ATK or less from my grave, and I choose Cyber Dragon!"

"I won't let you! Crystal Wing's effect activates! I negate Cyber Dragon Nachster's effect and it destroyed! Finally, its ATK is added to Crystal Wing's"

**Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon (ATK: 3200 DEF:2500)**

However, Sherman would not be deterred.

"No matter! That's Crystal Wing's effect out of the way for this turn!"

"What?!"

Charlotte looked flabbergasted as she realized she had just been baited.

"I activate the spell card, Cyber Revsystem! With this, I get to summon a Cyber Dragon from my graveyard, and it cannot be destroyed by card effects! Moreover, it's not just the field where Nachster's name becomes Cyber Dragon. I special summon it back to the field, and with its effect, I bring along Cyber Dragon with him!"

Both dragons reappeared on the field, yet none could pose a threat to the powerful monster in Charlotte's control.

For now at least.

"Now I summon **Cyber Dragon Drei (ATK:1800 DEF:800)** in ATK mode!"

A mechanical cross between a snake and a hammerhead took to the field.

"While on the field, Drei's name is treated as Cyber Dragon as well, moreover when it is summoned, all Cyber Dragons on my field are now level 5!"

The two Slifer girls in the spectators blinked in confusion, wondering what that would do. However, Charlotte knew what was coming and smirked, feeling honored that her opponent had decided to go all out and unveil his own new summoning method.

"Overlay! By overlaying Cyber Dragon and Cyber Dragon Nachster, I XYZ summon **Cyber Dragon Nova(ATK:2100 DEF:1600)**!"

The two monsters overlayed with one another, in a manner not unlike fusion or synchro. However, in this case, it seemed like they were on top of one another instead, producing a new form.

A new dragon took their place, majestically slithering out of the summoning, its form awing everyone in the room. It appeared similar to Cyber Dragon but now it had a pair of mechanical wings and its entire body was lined in a red glow, permeating from within its obsidian shell and silver belly.

"I activate Nova's effect, and by removing one material, I special summon a second Cyber Dragon to my field. And now, for its other effect. By banishing Cyber Dragon Drei from by field, Cyber Dragon Nova gains 2100 ATK!"

**Cyber Dragon Nova(ATK:4200 DEF:1600)**

In terms of raw power, the tables had turned completely, but there was still Crystal Wing's battle effect to contend with, so while Charlotte was impressed by his combo, she still held the upper hand. Or so she thought.

"Your monster is definitely far stronger than mine now, but haven't you forgotten? Crystal Wing's gains ATK equal to the level 5 and above monster it battles."

Sherman only chuckled.

"I remember. Too bad XYZ monsters don't have levels."

Charlotte's expression turned shock before panic as she realized her folly. The entire audience gasped in shock as well.

"But with both Cyber Dragon Nova on the field and Cyber Dragon, that means…."

It dawned on the crowd that the match was about to be over.

"Cyber Dragon Nova, atta-"

"What's all this commotion about?!"

Sherman's command was interrupted as an authoritative voice rang out in the arena.

All heads turned to the source of the voice, Professor Larkheart who had just entered the arena, and was looking rather displeased.

"The use of the arena has not been authorized by the school, what do you think you're doing?"

Both Charlotte and Sherman looked as though they had been slapped. Clearly, neither of them had bothered reading the rulebook within their PDAs.

"Ah, authorized? We didn't realize…."

The duel cancelled itself as both players deactivated their duel disks, causing the monsters to disappear and the crowd to grumble in disappointment.

"Aww man, why'd you have to ruin it, Teach? It was just getting good!"

Larkheart sighed as the students protested.

"Every year, the same thing. Why do we even bother having a rule book. Alright, everyone clear out. If I see anyone still here after 5 minutes, it's detention for the whole first semester."

"Oh look at the time! We should really get ready for the welcome dinner! Come on Sherman!"

At the mention of detention, Charlotte suddenly perked up in a far too cheerful voice before grabbing Sherman and dashing out of the arena, leaving the other students to clear out as well, including a not so inconspicuous pair of Slifer Red girls.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**7PM Same Day**

The welcome dinner for Slifer Red was modest but had a rather homely and campy feeling to it. While the Red dorms could be lacking in facilities, no one could argue that the students were lacking in camaraderie. Every student in red jacket laughed and socialized in a manner that gave the whole affair the feel of a regular school camp. All in all, it was not all that bad.

Those were the thoughts of the new first years joining the Red family, though at the moment, most eyes were falling on the only two girls in the dining room. Both were pretty in their own right, the one with short brown hair and red eyes had a tomboyish and upbeat charm to her. This was only emphasized with the way she wore only a black tank top with the newly made Slifer Red female sleeveless jacket and white skirt. However, even she was overshadowed by the incredibly conspicuous girl with long straight hair like snow and eyes of pure ice. The girl's features were near fairy like and they contrasted greatly with the Slifer Red uniform. Everyone in the room thought she would look breathtaking in the Obelisk girls' uniform. She wore her uniform similarly to her friend next to her, but had chosen a white blouse to wear under the unbuttoned jacket instead. She had also chosen to wear a pair of white leg warmers over her school boots. Further contrasting from her appearance, was the manner she had piled her plate sky high and was burning through her food like a furnace while the other girl grinned sheepishly at her. The audience she had unknowingly gathered did not quite know how to feel about the sight they were witnessing.

"Geez, you're just as gluttonous as before, Lulu. Actually, I think you eat even more now."

"Shush, Aki! I can't help that I'm a bottomless pit!"

Lucy blushed indignantly but still continued with her food, savoring the taste of freshly fried tempura. The food served was rather commonplace in family restaurants or small establishments, but Lucy always had a fondness for simple fare. Meals usually came in the form of sets, usually having a main dish, such as tempura or grilled salmon, along with a few side dishes like pickles or fruit in addition to a bowl of rice and a bowl of miso soup. However, for the purpose of the welcoming dinner, the kitchen had set up a buffet instead, and the gluttonous girl was definitely not going to pass up the chance to satisfy her hunger.

The room's attention shifted when the sound of a spoon clashing with a glass cup. Everyone turned to look at the Dorm Manager, Tachikawa Jun, calling for attention. He was a kindly middle-aged man, with kind eyes under a pair of spectacles in addition to scruffy hair and stubble.

"A very good evening to all of you! I hope all of you are enjoying the effort the kitchen put into this meal!"

Cheers resounded throughout the dining room, an especially loud "whoop" coming from Lucy who looked on cloud nine after enjoying the food.

"Now then, we will now proceed with the annual tradition of having each of our freshmen come up and introduce yourself to the rest of our family."

As to be expected from any such ice breaking endeavor, there were mixed feelings, some feeling excited and others nervous or shy. In a perfect example of the contrast, Akiko was practically rearing to share about herself, whereas Lucy's face had turned ghastly at the prospect, actually dropping the fried shrimp in her chopsticks.

"Now now, no need to share your deepest darkest secrets, though if you'd like to share the dirty details, by all means!"

The students laughed at his joke.

"Just your name, the kind of deck you play and a hobby or two will do! To get the ball rolling, I'll start! My name is Professor Jun Tachikawa, the Dorm Manager of Slifer Red and the teacher in charge of Monster Effect Theory. I've begun experimenting with newer cards, and currently, I'm playing an X-Saber deck. As for hobbies, hmm, I supposed when I'm not preparing lesson plans, I do enjoy a good nap."

Once again, his laid back attitude earned numerous laughs and chuckles from his students. Many of them privy to the fact that Jun was often found napping around the school grounds, usually having been in the middle of doing something else. The ball was passed from freshman to freshman, until eventually it reached the quiet boy sitting next to Akiko. The boy had a weak presence, different from Lucy's. While she lacked confidence, her appearance and her relaxed behavior around her friend made her stand out even though she was trying not to. However, this boy seemed to blend perfectly into the background. He had jet black hair, long for a boy, falling to his chin and a curved ahoge sticking out on top. He wore a white hoodie under the Slifer jacket along with the standard pants. He nonchalantly stood up, and gave a non-committal smile to his cohorts.

"Rei Aikawa. I play… Well, I guess you could call it a plant deck. Back on the mainland, I frequented arcades pretty often…. I guess… Pleasure to meet all of you. (A non-commital "yoroshiku") " With that, he returned to his seat and sat back down, causing many of the other students to share a look but the two girls, even Lucy, had perked up upon hearing they had found a fellow arcade enthusiast.

Finally, it was Akiko's turn and the outgoing girl shot to her feet like a bullet and was at the front of the room before anyone could react.

"Hi hi! Akihiro Akiko desu~~~ I play the absolute coolest deck of all, Heroes!"

That gained many laughs and a few cheers from the crowd, causing Akiko to wink at them.

"Right?! I mean, Heroes just swoop in from out of nowhere and save the day! I aspire to be just like them one day!"

She followed this up with a fist to her chest while she stuck it out in what she would describe as a heroic pose.

"Eto, my nickname is Aki, but actually, only Lulu calls me that. Ah! Lulu is the adorable Lucy-Chan sitting all the back there by the way!"

Akiko prattled on, ignoring Lucy's frantic gestures for her to cease her shenanigans immediately, finally burying her face into the table in embarrassment. _Someone _was _definitely _heading to bed with a colossal bruise on her head. The crowd on the other hand cheered, with many calling her "Lulu-Chan".

"Eh he he he he, wow, everyone is so friendly! Red Dorm must be the best Dorm in the school!"

That shocked everyone and normally, no one would have the audacity to agree, but everyone seemed to be caught up in her infectious energy and simply cheered.

"Slifer Red for life!"

"As for hobbies, I enjoy exercising, volleyball, video games and of course, DUELLING!"

The crowd went wild and even Professor Jun had joined in.

"Yoroshiku ne!"

Akiko took a dramatic bow before skipping happily back to her seat, prompting Lucy to finally show her deadpan face.

Akiko wrapped her arms around Lucy, cheering her own before sitting back down, allowing Lucy to sigh deeply with resignation and meekly made her way to the front. Despite all efforts to downplay her presence, they only seemed to have the opposite effect, with more than half the room eyeing her with blushes. It was obvious that a number of the students had already developed crushes on her. When she finally reached the front, she took a deep breath and began her introduction.

"Urm, hello…. My name is er… My name is Lucy. I'm half japanese, hence my name…."

"Hello Lulu-Chan!"

"PLEASE DONT CALL ME THAT!"

Lucy's voice was uncharacteristically loud and her cheeks were bright pink. After composing herself, she continued, but her outburst seemed to have shaken off some of her nervousness, causing her to seem ever so slightly more relaxed.

"Ahem, a-anyway, I play a err… Light deck? For hobbies, like the two before me, I guess I enjoy arcade games quite a fair bit."

"It's true! She was Domino City's DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) Champion 3 years ago!"

"SHUT UP, BAKA AKI!"

Needless to say, the crowd was savoring the gap moe between Lucy's usual demeanor and her reactions to Akiko.

"But it's something to be proud of! I remember you were so happy the day you took the high score, we went to that one restaurant and you made the owner cry because of how much yo-"

Lucy was across the room faster than a jet and her hand clamped firmly over Akiko's mouth while she laughed nervously.

"Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu! (Nice to meet you and please take good care of me!)"

With that, she dragged a muffled Akiko who was still trying to speak through Lucy's hand out of the dining room and upstairs before everyone heard a door slam. However, the thin walls of the Slifer dorm did nothing to mask the sounds that followed.

"Why did you drag us back to the room?! We haven't finished dinn- AH, AH, AH, THAT HURTS, THAT HURTS A LOT LULU-CHAN, AH, AH, PLEASE HAVE MERCY LUCY-SAMA!"

The details of this encounter was left to the imagination of the rest of the Red Dorm.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**2 hours later**

Lucy stepped out of the bathroom with her towel around her neck while brushing her blow dried hair. Akiko was still whimpering on her bed and nursing her injuries from being obliterated by Lucy's retribution.

"Oi, I'm done, your turn."

"That's mean ("Hidoiii"), Lulu, how can you act like nothing happened after what you did to me… I'll never look at a hair brush the same way again…."

"Good. Maybe that'll teach you to blab about everything." Lucy plopped down on her bottom bunk and set the brush on her night stand, satisfied that her hair was now soft and silky. Akiko peeked her head over her top bunk and looked down at her roommate and reunited best friend.

"I'm surprised though, you were always the more confident of the two of us. I was shocked at how shy you are now. Though I guess 3 years is a long time, he he he."

Lucy sighed and stared off into nothing.

"It sure iis…."

"But this shy and girly Lucy is really cute too!"

"Oh shut up."

However, this time Lucy's reply was non-committal and she could not help herself from smiling. Only a day since she'd been reunited with the closest friend she ever had and even she could not deny that the ice she had frozen her heart was beginning to melt. She almost felt like she could feel a glimmer of her former self.

"Go take a shower, Aki, we've been running around all day and if you shower too late, you'll catch a cold."

"Haiiiiiii, I like this onee-chan side of you too hehe."

With that, Akiko dropped down from her bed and headed into the bathroom while Lucy lay back on her pillow, hugging the plush puppy she had brought with her. She found herself unable to prevent the small laugh that followed.

"Maybe Duel Academy won't be tooooo bad after all."

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Author's note: Just a heads up, I will alter certain cards to make them stronger and will keep a change log to keep track of them at the end of each chapter. This is because I feel that some cards are needlessly underpowered, especially when they have stronger counterparts. Also, my primary objective in alterations is for the cards to make duels more exciting, so for the first change, I will just make Cards of Sanctity follow the anime rules! Also, I've decided to give each character a voice actor (Japanese of course) as well as the the voice they do that's closest to the character, so that you have a better idea of how they sound like!**

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Character Profile: Charlotte Roux**

**Age: 15**

**Birthday: March 23rd**

**Gender: Female**

**Deck: Wind Witch/Stardust/Synchro (Wind Witch is ridic with how optimized it is for many different Synchro decks tbh)**

**Personality: Charlotte is a rather playful and whimsical girl, rarely ever taking anything seriously. She is rather carefree and usually acts purely on her whims and interests. She is very curious by nature and enjoys learning new things and finding new things to interest her. However, she has trouble holding an interest for long. She and Sherman grew up together and have known each other for almost 10 years. She also enjoys teasing others and playing pranks on others, having a very broad sense of humor. **

**Hobbies: Piano, Painting, Playing Pranks, Reading**

**Favorite Food: Crepes**

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Voice Cast:**

**Akihiro Akiko: Tomatsu Haruka (Shinomiya Rina from Digimon)**

**Hakuryuu Lucy: Koshimizu Ami (Morgana from House in Fata Morgana)**

**Charlotte Roux: Hanazawa Kana (Mifune Yuriko from Kotoura-San)**

**Sherman Bowers: Natsuki Hanae (Arima Kousei from Your Lie in April)**

**Hakuryuu Riko: Okamoto Nobuhiko (Bete Loga from Danmachi/Bakugou from Boku no Hero)**

**William Larkhart: Suwabe Junuichi (Archer/EMIYA from Fate Stay Night)**

**Yamiya Kuroki: Kamiya Hiroki (Levi from Attack on Titan)**

**Aikawa Rei: Murase Ayumu (Allen Walker from D Gray Man Hallow)**

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Card Changelog: **

**Cards of Sanctity: Use anime ruling instead of TCG ruling**


End file.
